Notes and Links
Wed, Nov 16, 2005
by Geoff Young
So nobody wanted to talk about the mess that was third base last year, and who can blame ‘em? Let’s see if we can come up with some less embarrassing topics for discussion today.
- Steroid penalties much tougher with agreement. In case you missed it, under the new proposal (it still needs to be ratified by MLB and the union), first-time offenders get a 50-game suspension, second-timers get 100 games, and a third strike carries a lifetime ban.
- David Pinto weighs in on the subject, and El Lefty Malo provides an interesting quote about amphetamines from Braves catcher Johnny Estrada.
- I’ve always been more or less agnostic on the whole steroids thing. I don’t know if that was a head-in-sand reaction on my part or what, but my position changed after hearing Dr. Andy Andres talk about their effect at the First Pitch Arizona symposium. His was the first discussion of steroids in baseball I’d heard that wasn’t littered with rhetoric. Dr. Andres, who teaches a class on sabermetrics at Tufts University, holds a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry and Physiology and approached the subject from a medical standpoint. Fascinating stuff, and I’m now pretty well convinced there is a problem with steroids in baseball.
- Moving on, Padres prosepct Sean Thompson gets a little giddy while waiting for baseball to return (Scout.com). We’re with you, Sean.
- In Lyle Spencer’s latest mailbag at Padres.com he answers questions about Kenji Jojima, Jacque Jones, Trevor Hoffman, Jarrod Washburn, Josh Barfield, Carl Crawford, and more.
- Catching Up With Mr. Talented (Sports Central). Sara Normand has a solid interview with Padres prospect Matt Lauderdale, who in addition to his catching duties is “interested in architecture and design.” Lauderdale talks a lot about non-baseball stuff in this one, and it makes for a refreshing read.
- Ed Barnes and Brian Wilmer at The Writers have been doing some fantastic podcasts, including their latest with Diamondbacks prospect Carlos Quentin. The Chula Vista native and USDHS (Mark Prior, Barry Zito, a chick I dated in college) grad talks about his experience at Stanford, his approach at the plate, and what it will take to get to the next level. It’s a good listen, and I’m not just saying that so they’ll have me on the show.
Tunes: Howie Day, Hapa, Bad Religion, They Might Be Giants, AiM, Rush, Bel Canto, Dead Can Dance, Elliott Smith, This Mortal Coil.
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
November 16, 2005 at 10:15 am
Cameron rumors heating up:
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5085956
There’s also something at ESPN but it’s “Insider”…
November 16, 2005 at 10:33 am
From the Insider: “The Mets and the Padres are on the verge of a deal that would send Mike Cameron to San Diego, baseball officials told ESPN’s Buster Olney on Wednesday.
Other parts of the prospective deal are not known at this time, although the Mets are reportedly looking for bullpen help.”
November 16, 2005 at 11:57 am
I like your music choices but Howie Day? What, you couldn’t find your Clay Aiken CD? Sheesh….
November 16, 2005 at 12:09 pm
That’s a different Tom. I have no business critiquing anybody’s musical taste.
Lyle Spencer seems out of touch with the team he’s supposed to be covering. Why bother doing basic research when you can sit at home and make up the answers?
November 16, 2005 at 12:54 pm
Tom: Watch Howie Day perform live. I saw a video of his a few years ago and it kind of blew my mind. The way he “builds” guitar parts on the fly and loops them into a song is pretty impressive. Maybe all the kids are doing it now (I honestly don’t know, I’m a plug-the-guitar-into-the-amp kinda guy), but the guy has serious talent.
November 16, 2005 at 1:30 pm
1090 is reporting Nady for Cameron has been agreed upon, pending a physical for Cameron.
I’m sad to see Nady go but he was never going to get a fair shot here and Cameron will greatly improve the CF defense and allow Roberts to be the 4th OF.
November 16, 2005 at 2:14 pm
It’s on 10News.com also:
http://www.10news.com/mlb/5341497/detail.html
Anthony, you hit the nail on the head. So, anyone else here think this means Giles is gone?
November 16, 2005 at 2:20 pm
If the deal remains Nady for Cameron, I am happy with that, even if we pay all of Cameron’s salary. If we give up Aki and Nady, then we are getting ripped off. But this takes care of CF nicely if Cameron’s completely healthy by ST. Nady never was given a chance to shine. At the same time he has shown himself to be wildly inconsistent, and he’s not getting any younger.
I wonder if this means we will see Jacque Jones brought in, since Giles appears to be heading out of our price range. A Jones/Cameron/Johnson OF is certainly more atheletic then what we have seen recently and can only help our pitching. No more six-hop doubles to the gap in Petco. I am still hoping we can retain Giles, but unless we add more pieces, our offense is still looking scary-bad for 2006.
November 16, 2005 at 2:24 pm
U-T has it straight up X for Cameron:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/.....trade.html
Also says Blum is returning.
November 16, 2005 at 3:05 pm
I’ll be rooting for Nady to make us (Padres org and Padres’ fans) regret this deal … might Nady be the next Jason Bay? I’m just saying that I hope the Mets give X a chance to see if he is / can be that kind of player …
November 16, 2005 at 3:40 pm
Geoff. Looking forward to your views on the Nady Cameron deal. Me, I’m very happy about it, and wonder if Roberts will be shipped off soon, or if we’re going for that OF Towers talked about in the Q&A session that’s heavy defensively.
I’m curious to what Bad Religion you’ve been listening to. Their older stuff is great, right up to Against the Grain. Reminds me of my high school years. At Uni, no less.
November 16, 2005 at 3:58 pm
Some reactions from Mets bloggers:
http://newmets.blogspot.com/20.....avier.html
http://metsconfessions.blogspo.....-mets.html
Funk: Given that the Pads apparently had no use for Nady, I’m pleased with the deal. I’ll have more fully formed (or not) thoughts up tonight or tomorrow morning.
Can’t remember which Bad Religion, but it’s not that old. Didn’t realize you went to Uni…
November 16, 2005 at 5:44 pm
I’m still unsure what position Nady will play, not just for the Mets but for anyone. LF? 1B? Obviously, he got to the Big Leagues because he could (can still?) hit but saying he’s a better outfielder than Klesko is damning him with faint praise.
I like the deal because it cleans up the mess the Padres made with X. As you said, Geoff, they seemingly had no everyday use for him. Still wish they’d dealt him for Zito back in May/June when we were all discussing it.
Jacque Jones, however, fails to excite me.
November 16, 2005 at 6:41 pm
Nady will probably play 1B for the Mets. They’ve had an offensive hole there since Olerud left.
I think it was a pretty good trade — Nady wasn’t going to get a shot here, and Cameron was not happy about playing RF for the Mets.
Cameron should have just signed with the Pads in the first place.
From all accounts, I’ve heard that Cam is a good clubhouse guy, and he certainly plays hard, he’s just really, really streaky. He’ll hit .400 for three weeks and then go ice cold.
Of course, his defense won’t be streaky.
November 16, 2005 at 8:38 pm
Let me be the first to say that this deal stinks. How does Mike Cameron help us? He is oft injured, strikes out a ton, has good (but not great) power. He is older. And he costs SEVEN MILLION DOLLARS! Money that could be spent on starting pitching, a third baseman. Useful things. The Xavier Nady Situation (TM) that is being referred to has nothing to do with Nady himself. He has still never played every day. I think he should be our everyday right or left fielder. He hit the ball very well last year in limited duty, and he is stil very young. I think a true CBA of this deal makes it a serious loss for the Padres.
November 17, 2005 at 7:45 am
Matthew: I think it is very productive if it does nothing else than give us a quality CF. Petco absolutely requires having someone who can go get it in CF, and to a lesser extent in RF. The advantage of it being a pitcher’s park is largely lost if you don’t have someone like that, and Roberts was horrible out there.
Yes, he is older than Nady, but he’s not old and would come off the books in two years at the most, or could come off after 2006 along with Klesko and Park if we chose to make a big move at that time.
As to oft injured, I don’t see it, but I’m not that familiar with his career; however, I look at his numbers from 1999 (when he first became a regular player) to 2003 and see at least 146 games and over 500 AB’s. He did miss a little more time in 2004, 140 games and 493 AB’s, but that doesn’t look like someone who misses a lot of time to injury to me.
Finally, I wouldn’t worry about the K’s, it’s not like we wouldn’t have experienced those with Nady at the plate.
In fact, to me Cameron looks a lot like what you would get with 500 AB’s Nady, maybe a few more HR from Nady, but you get a lot more speed from Cameron. Throw in the huge defensive benefit we are gettting and I don’t think it’s a bad deal at all.